Grinding, refining, and mixing machine



March 21, 1933.

IHIHIIHHHI IH c. a. sPRADo- GRINDI NG, REFINING, AND MIXING MACHINE Filed 'Jan. 18 192's 2 Sheets-Sheet March 21, 1933. c SPRADO 1,902,591

; GRINDING, REFINING, AND gums mcmus Filed Jan. 18, 1929, 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Mar. 21, 1933 UITED STATES 'ics- CARL G. SPRADO, or "MIL AUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR T0 ALLIS-GHALMIERS MANU- rnc'rnnrns COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION on DELA- WARE GRINDING, REFINING, AND MIXING MAcII-Iivn Aliplicationfiled January 18, 1929. Serial No. 333,314. r

This invention relates generally to improvements in the art of grinding, refining and mixing substances, and relates more spe; cifically to improvements in the construction and operation of rotary machines for treating materials such as cocoa beans, chocolate, chemicals or the like. 7

A general obj ect-of the invention is to provide new and useful improvements in grinding, refining and mixing machines, whereby the efiiciency of-operation of such machines is enhanced to a maximum with the aid of relatively simple and convenientlymanipulable structure. V

Some of the more specific objects of the invention are as follows v v ,To provide'various improvements in the details of construction of and in the mode of adjusting and of operating machines of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 1,56 lfl27, granted December 8, 1925.

' To provide an improved mounting for the movable material treating elements of grinding, refining and mixing machines, whereby any desired uniform pressure may be maintained at the treating'surfacesl To provide animproved support for the wipers or wiper elements of rotary machines wherein material is subjected to a wiping action, whereby the pressure upon a plurality of elements carried by a common blade, is automatically equalized.

To provide improved individual adjusting mechanisms for each of a series of treats ing blades of a rotary machine whereinvmaterial is subjected to the wiping action of elements associated with the blades. 3

To provide an improved mechanism for actuating the individual toggles for adjusting' a plurality of wipers of a machine of this type, wherein the actuating or adjusting mechanism is simple and compact in construction and conveniently manipulable.

To provide an improved ball and socket toggle structure for effecting adjustment of the wipers of a rotary grinding, refining and mixing machine.

To provide an improved wiperstructure' and means for preventing the material being treated, from hindering the effectiveness of such structure during normaloperation. To provide other improvements in the details of construction of rotary grinding, refining, polishing and mixing machines. I

A clear conception of several embodiments of features of the invention and of the mode of constructing and offoperating mechanisms built in accordance v therewith, may be had by referring to the drawings accompanying and forming'a'part of this specification in which like reference characters designate the same'or similar parts-in thevarious views.

Fig. l is a fragmentary partially assem-- bled central vertical section through a grinde ing, refining and mixing machine.

Fig. 2 is ya transverse vertical section through the grinding, refining and mixing machine illustrated inFig. 1,.the section being taken through the treating chamber of the machine.

Fig.3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectionalview of the improved head and toggles for effecting adjustment of the wipers, the sec-f tion being taken transversely of the axis of the machine. a I V Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View of the rotor and wiper adjusting mechanism, the section being taken longitudinally of the machine. l .1 I v r .Fig. 5 is an enlarged part sectional end ing and adjusting therewith.

view of'one of the wipers and of the support:

1 mechanism associated Fig- 6'is an enlarged end view of one of the wipers and of a fragmentof the supporting and adjusting mechanism, showingjimproved means associated with the wiper carrier for preventmg material from hindering the normal operation ofthe wiper.

Fig. 7 is'an' enlarged end view of one of the wipers and of a fragment of the adjusting and supporting mechanism thereof, showing the wiper supporting blade con- .structed to prevent material from entering the space between the wiper blade and its support.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary enlarged end View of a wiper provided with modified means for preventing material from entering the space directly above the wiper.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of one of the wipers and its support.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary end view of a portion of one of the wiper supporting structures. 7

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through one of the wiper supporting structures.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary end view of another portion of the wiper structure shown in Fig. 9. I

- ing 2 and end heads 3, 4L coacting with the- The improved grinding, refining and mixing machine illustrated in relatively assembled condition in Figs. 1 and 2', comprises a housing forming a treating chamber 7, a rotor revolvable at relatively high'speed 'within the treating chamber 7, gearing for actuating the rotor, and mechanism for'efi'ecting adjustment of the wipers carried. by the rotor from the exterior of the housing.

. The housing consists of an annular cascasing 2, toprovide the enclosed chamber 7. The casing 2 may be surrounded by a cooling. or heating jacket 9, and the end heads 3, a are provided with feed spouts 6, 5 respec tively for admitting material to' be treated to the chamber 7 The end head 4 is additionally provided with a dischargeopening 8 having a removable cover for effecting access to the mill interior and removal of treated material. The end head 3 is provided with an inwardly projecting conical'wall 10 which provides a main bearing for supporting the rotor.

The rotor of the machine comprises aspider 18 rigidly attached to a rotary sleeve llf'which is mounted in the bearing provided by thewall 10. 'A scraper 19 carried the spider 18 is movable around the wall 10 to prevent accumulation. of material thereon. An annular series of levers 24 is pivotally associatedwith the spider 18 by means of pms 25, and each of the levers 24 is provided with laterally projecting-integral supporting members 20 extending along and in close proximity to the inner surface of the casing 2. Resilient pressure plates 26 are secured to the successive members 20 and have a series of swivel blocks 40. llattached theretc.

The blocks' lO, 41 carried by the plates 26',

coact with complementary similar blocks 40,

ll attached to the medial portions of resillent wiper blades 27. Removable rods35 extend through alined openings in the blocks 41, and thus provide detachable pivotal con 7 nections between the supporting plates 26 and the wiper blades 27. Wiper elements or grindingbars 28 are rigidly attached to the wiper blades 27 and extend longitudinally of the machine in contact with the internal cylindrical surface of the casing 2. The wiper 7 blades 27 may also be provided with stop pins 39 which are cooperable with the resilient supporting plates 26 to limit the swing ing movement of the wiper blades about the H rods 35. 7

As shown in Fig. 6, the supporting members 20 may also beprovided with a bafile or ledge member 36 disposed at the front or leading end 37 ofeach of the wiper blades ing end 38 of each wiper blade 27may be bent inwardly to a sufficient extent so that only one set of stop pins 39'is necessary, the leading end38 of the blade performing the function of a stop pin at thatportion of the wiper blade 27.

The adjusting mechanism for varying the pressure exerted by the wiper bars against the interior of the casing 2, comprises'a seriesof individual toggles, one for each wiper, all of which are simultaneously manipulable from the exterior of the machine. Each of these adjusting toggles consists of a rod 22 the outer end of which has adjustable screw thread coaction with a connector'23, and the inner 2 end of which is provided with a knob or ball 32. The connectors 23 have spherical sockets W coacting with ballinembers34, these ball .members being rigidly attached to the inwardly extending arms of the levers 2 1. The balls 32 at the inner ends of the rods 22 co act with spherical sockets in the adjusting head 21., being confined within the sockets by 7 means of retaining caps 33 which are formed to occupy minimum space circumferentially of the head21, but which permit considerable swinging movement of the rods 22 relative to the head 21, without interference. The head 21 is rigidly attached to one end of an ad-,

justing shaft 12 which is slidably confined within the rotor supporting sleeve 11; The shaft 12 is providedwith a keyway 42with which a spline carried by the sleeve 11, coacts so as to permit relative longitudinal motion of the sleeve 11 and shaft 12 hile positively reventin relative rotation of these els ments. The oppositeend ofthe shaft 12 is of reduced diameter and is embraced byv an externally threaded sleeve 29 the ends of which coact through ball bearings43 with spaced'abutments on the shaft 12; The sleeve 29 While being fixed against rotation with the shaft 12, is adapted to be moved longitudinally together with this shaft while an adjustment is being made. A-collar which is held against movement longitudinally of the axis of the shaft 12'and sleeve 29, has internalscrew threads'coacting with the sleeve 29, and is adapted to be'rotated by means of a hand Wheel 31. 'Upon rotation of the collar 30 by means of the hand wheel 31,the sleeve 29 will be caused to travel longitudinally of its axis and to thereby move the shaft 12 and the head 21 longitudinally of the axis of the machine.

'The mechanism for driving the rotor of the machine comprisesla main gear13 keyed to the sleeve 11 and meshingwith a pinion 1a. The pinion 14 is mounted upon a counter shaft which also carries a somewhat larger pinion 15, the pinion 15 meshingwith the driving pinion 16 carried by the driving shaft 17. The shaft 17 is adapted to bedriven in any suitable manner, as by a high speed electric motor.

7 During normal operation of the machine the material to be treated is' admitted in batches through the feed spouts 5, 6, to the treating chamber 7,*and the rotor of the ma- 7 chine'is being operated through the driving gearing. The wipers carried by the rotor are adjusted to produce the desired pressure upon the material undergoing treatment', and coact with theinner surface of the casing 2 to reduce the material to a powder andfto thoroughly mix the particles. The scraper 19 functions to automatically preventaccumulation of material upon the conical wall 10, and the treated chargemay be removed in an obvious manner through'the discharge opening 8. i

When it becomes desirable to adjust the pressure upon the wipers, it is only necessary to rotate the hand wheel 31 whereupon the adjusting head 21 will be urged along the axis of the rotor and will exert a pull or a push.

upon'the inner ends of all of the toggle rods 22, depending upon the direction of rotation of the hand wheel 31. If the head 21 is moved toward the right as indicated in Fig; 1, the rods 22 will exert a pull upon the bellcrank I levers 2 's and will relieve the'pressurelupon the wipers. If the head 21 is movedetoward the left as indicated in Fig. 1, the pressure upon the wipers will be increased. Each of the individual'adjusting toggles may be Lseparately adjusted by virtue of the screw threaded outer ends of -the'toggler0ds 22 and the ball formation of the inner rod ends, to produce equal pressures upon the several wipers of the series. Itshould benotedthat the end balls 32 of the rods 22 permit these rods to beturned freely about their own axes,

while adjustment is being efiected.

The re "lient. plates 26 cooperating" with the pivots located midway between the 'leadingandtrailing edges of the wiper blades27,

insure equalization ofthe pressure uponthe bars 28) disposed forwardly and rearwardly of the pivots. The universal ball and socket connections at the opposite ends ofthe rods 22 provide a compact adju'sting mechanism affording maximum leverage, and permit location of the inner ends of these rods closely adjacent to the axis ofthe shaft 12 while maintaining the leverage. The adjusting mechanism furthermore produces minimum obstruction at theperiphery of the treating chamber'f, andthe universalball and socket connections furthermore eliminate binding in Fig. 8,, objectionable entry of material to e the space between the blades 26 and plates 27 may be readilyavoided. Thestop {pins 39 also provide simple means for preventing i the blades27 from swinging bBYQDdIHIGdQ? termined limits whenthe blades 'are relieved from pressure as indicated in Fig.6,5or when;

ingnormal operation of the machine by virj i r such swinging movementtends to occurdur-. V

tue of the building up of n'laterial under the leading or trailing ends of the wipers; The central, rods 35 and the coacting blocks 40, 41 having large bearing-surfaces,provide a sim- I ple hinged; joint for each wiper'which may be readily .dismantle'd by merelyremoving a'rod 85 through the opening 8, so as'to permit removal of a Wiper. The entire interior of the mill is readily accessibleupon removal 1 of the end head l, and the various parts maygbe conveniently assembled and removed.*-

V Itshould be understood that it is not desired to. limit the invention to the exact details-50f, construction. and operationsherein disclosed, V for obvious modifications within the scopeofthe claims. may occur to persons skilled in the art. i It isiclaimed and desired to secure by Letters Patents I L Adeviceofthecharacter described comv prising a blade having front and rear grindmg port ons, pivotmeans for applying pressure to saidbladebetween said portions, and;

stop means for limiting themovement of said blade aboutfsaidspivot meansk.

2. A device ofthe character described com-f prising a resilient .bladehaving front and rear grindingjportions and an. intermediate pivotal: support, and means associated with said blade and cooperable with said su port to limit the swinging movement of saidblade about said support. a Y

I 3. A device of the character described comprising a resilient blade having front and rear grinding portions, pressure applying,

means including a resilient plate spaced from said blade, a pivotal connection between said blade and said plate, and stop means carried by said blade and cooperable' with said plate: to limit the swingingmovement of said blade about said pivotal connection. V

4. A device of the character described-comprising a blade having leading and trailing grindingportions and an intermediate'pivotalsupport, a carrier for said bladecooperating with said support and extending along said blade in spaced relation to said leading portion, and baffle meansassociated with said leading blade portion for preventing free 1ngress of material to the space between said 3 ing thepressures upon said] blades, and a blade and "said 7 carrier. 1 v

5. A device of the character described comi prising-a blade having elongated leading and trailing grinding portions and an intermediatepivotal support,'a carrier forsaid blade cooperating with said support and extending along saidblade in spaced relation to said I leading portion,'and 'an elongated baflie se-, cured to said carrier and extending outwardly in close proximity to said leading blade portion for preventing ingress ofmaterial to thespace'betwe'en said blade and said carrier.

portion, the leading portion of said blade be- .ing bent inwardly toward said support, and a baffle secured to said carrier and extending outwardly and cooperating with said inwardly bent blade portion to prevent ingress of material to the space between saidblade and said Y carrier.

7. A device of thecha-racter described comprising an annular series of wipers revolv-' ableabout a common axis, an adjusting shaft movable longitudinally of said axis, and a directfindividual connection between said shaft and each of said wipers for varying ,the pressures thereon.

' 8. A device of the character described comprising an annular series of wipers each consistingof a resilient blade having'grinding elements associated therewith, said wipers being revolvable about a common axis, ashaft movablewithrespect to sa1d axls'foradjustdirect individual connection between shaft and each of said blades; 7

9. A device ofthe character described said com prising a blade havinglgrinding portions comprising a blade havin rindin g associated therewith, said blade being revolvable about an axis, a shaft movable with respect to said axis for adjusting the pressure upon 'said'blade, and a direct connection between said shaft and said bladeincluding a universal joint. ,1 4 I 10. A device of the character described comprising a blade having grinding portions associated therewith, said blade being revolv-' able aboutan axis, a shaft movable with re? spect to said axis for adjusting the pressure upon said blade, and a direct connection between said shaftand said blade including a rod having universaljoints at the opposite ends thereof. V l 1 11. A device of the character described g g portions associated therewith, said blade being revolvable about an axis, ashaft movable with respect to said axis for adjusting the pressure upon said blade. and'a direct connection between said shaft and said-blade including a rod having universal joints at the opposite ends-thereof, and means for varying the dis tance between said jointsz i i 12. A device of the character describe comprising a blade having grinding elements associated therewith, saidblade beingrevolvable about an axis, a lever revolvable about said axis andhavi-ng-one arm supporting-said bladeand: another arm extending inwardly and said arm, and means for varying the toward said. axis, a shaft movable with respect to said axis, rod pivotally associated with said shaftand extending outwardly toward saidinwardly extending'lever arm, and

said rod and position ofsaid connection with respect to A the adjacent end offsaid rod. V

let. A: device of therharacter described comprising an'annular series of wipers each consisting of a blade and grinding elements associated therewith, said wipers being rea shaft movable longitudinally relative to saidraxis, an'adjust'ing head carried by said shaft, and a rod connecting each of said-bell cranks with said adjusting -hea'd, the inner volvable about a common axis, a bell crank provlding asuppo-rt for each of sa1d wipers,

end of each ofsaid rods having a universal connection with said head.

' device ofthe character described CARL G. SPRADO. 

